A man in a nearby building video taped a police involved shooting on South Beach early Monday, May 30, 2011. (Photo Courtesy: MKRadio)A man in a nearby building video taped a police involved shooting on South Beach early Monday, May 30, 2011. (Photo Courtesy: MKRadio)

MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) – Three police officers and four bystanders remain hospitalized just one day after two separate police-involved shootings in Miami Beach. One person was also killed in the shooting which was caught on camera.

A YouTube video posted early Monday and obtained by CBS4 News shows the first shooting scene from several stories above.

Jameela Simmons said she saw it from the beginning and that it started when police stopped the car at 18th and Collins.

She says someone in the car started shooting at officers and bystanders.

CBS4’s Natalia Zea asked Simmons, “You saw the guy inside the car shooting?” She responded, “Yes I saw him shooting at the police officer, that’s probably why he pulled off because he had a gun,”

Zea asked what police were doing while the man was shooting. Simmons said, “They were shooting back of course, they had to open fire they were shooting back.”

Three officers were hurt in the melee, and four bystanders were shot. At least one witness says a police officer shot her sister…not the suspect.

4 women visiting from England saw police open fire on the car when it finally came to a stop.

“With all that gunfire there was no way anyone who was in that car was going to survive, absolutely no way, said Soraya Lopez.

“It was so busy, people were falling on top of each other, it was like instant reaction. People were screaming and panicking,” said Fiona Harris.

This was the group’s fourth year visiting South Beach for Memorial Day Weekend. And this traumatic incident has changed their plans for next year.

“We didn’t travel all the way across the world to see this kind of stuff, we wanted a nice peaceful vacation,” said Lopez.

Harris added, “Next year we’re gonna try Vegas.”

Police said the incident took place around 4:00 a.m. on Collins Avenue between 13th and 16th Streets. Police said there was a tense situation between some officers and a man driving a car when the man tried to hit officers with that moving car.

The home video opens with the sound of four loud gunshots and a dark-colored vehicle zooming down the street before stopping at an intersection.

The man shooting the video tells a companion, “Stay right there, don’t come to the window,” as sirens and screams are heard from below. The man tries to explain to his female friend what was going on and he said “He was shooting people from inside the car.”

About one minute into the video, at least a half dozen people, apparently police officers, approach the stopped car and a barrage of bullets rings out. One officer can be seen approaching the car shining a flashlight into the driver’s side window as the man on the video continues to say “Oh my Gosh.”

The man inside that car was killed. He has not been identified.

“If you’re driving a vehicle and you aim that at someone and drive towards that person with the intent of causing injury, that’s deadly force,” said Miami Beach Police Chief Carlos Noriega. When asked whether a weapon was found on the suspect, he replied, “I have not been informed of a weapon recovered yet,” said Chief Noriega.

Two Miami Beach officers and one Hialeah officer were taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center with unknown injuries. Those officers have not been identified.

Four innocent bystanders were injured by gun fire. Miami Beach police say it’s unclear whether the gunfire that injured the innocent bystanders came from police or the suspect in the vehicle.

CBS4 News has confirmed that at least two of the injured were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital. One person is a young woman whose boyfriend said was shot at least twice, once in the arm and also in the leg. He did not want to identify himself or the woman but he said one bullet passed through her and the other lodged in her elbow.

CBS4′s Peter D’Oench also caught up with the cousin of another man who was wounded by the stray bullets. As she walked into the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, she told D’Oench, “He is going to be ok. He was shot in the left side. I was very worried about him. I heard about this early this morning. I was very worried.”

She did not want to identify herself or her cousin, but she also told D’Oench, “I have a lot of questions about this. Who shot him? Was he shot by the police or the bad guy. And if police shot him, why did this have to happen? For what reason, I don’t know. I also want to know how many of those innocent bystanders got shot? He was just running. That’s all I heard. He was just running and they shot him.”

Angie Vasquez told also told D’Oench that her sister, Sarah Garcia, 24, was one of the innocent bystanders who was wounded. It happened right in front of her.

“Yes, it was very scary; I was scared for my life. My sister was shot in the arm, it came through her bones and fractured them. She was also shot in the leg, but her legs are going to be OK,” said Vasquez. “It was just crazy. We are here visiting from Naples all these shots rang out. It didn’t make any sense to me.”

Vasquez said that while she was not able to look inside the suspect’s car, she did not think he had a gun.

“He was never shooting back. It’s crazy, police are supposed to protect us, but instead we get shot,” said Vasquez.

As of Tuesday afternoon, police haven’t said whether they have found a gun on the suspect.

Other witnesses also talked about their frightening experience.

One witness from New York said, “The Miami Beach Police Department shot her. That was not right. There was a drive by going on. And the Miami Police shot her. It was by accident but they shot her.”

Another New York tourist described what happened.

“We were just walking going to our hotel. We seen a drive by going by. We ducked down. The police came out with their guns. They were like this and they started shooting.”

Witness Jose Vazquez said it was chaos.

“We were about to turn the corner when all the sudden we heard gun shots. Maybe about 5 to 12 gunshots. In the chaos we heard a girl got hit,” explained Vazquez. “Everyone was running. I was kind of scared. It was sporadic. Then you had more gunshots. It was kind of frightening. All the sudden the police started running with their guns drawn.”

About an hour and 15 minutes after the first shooting incident, there was another police-involved shooting at 14th Street and Washington Avenue.

“The driver of the car came directly at several officers, a couple of corrections officers, and the officer that fired a weapon. It looks like she may have been directly in front of the vehicle when he was coming at her,” said Chief Noriega.

The bullets missed the driver and that’s when he crashed into the police cruiser and was arrested.

There were no injuries involved in this intense situation.

Police were working two additional crime scenes related to the shootings: one at 15th and Drexel Avenue, and another at 14th and Collins Avenue.

Police shut down several blocks in the heart of South Beach to motorists and pedestrians. South Beach has been packed with thousands of tourists in town for the 12th annual Urban Beach weekend.

Chief Noriega stated it was relatively uneventful until Monday morning. “It was quiet last night until 3:56 a.m. It’s just a darn shame this had to happen,” said Noriega.

Overall it was a very busy weekend for law enforcement on Miami Beach this weekend.

According to Miami Beach Police, during the 2011 Memorial Day weekend in South Beach there were 431 total arrests, 66 felonies and 365 misdemeanors. Notably, there were 1,298 citations and 3,221 calls for service.

In 2010, there were 382 total arrest, 71 felonies and 311 misdemeanors. The department said that there were also 1,327 citations and 3,198 calls for service.

You are an idiot. My beef is with the corrupted Cuban politicians that scower our city. They promise so much and dont deliver. That is my problem. I am Cuban myself and Cuban poliyics should stay in Cuba along with the Beard.

Luis, I cannot agree with you more; this is not Cuba, but another country that can deliver a lifestyle not currently available in Cuba. Cuban poltics should remain in Cuba, not Miami. Miami is flooded with corrupt politicians that will never ever deliver good on campaign promises.

Remember, those who fial to see your views your way are probably the same trouble makers themselves.

We have the same problems here in NY. its the same Hispanic politicians that complain and do nothing about it. They get votes because they are Hispanic but end up taking advantage of their people. they pocket the money that suppose to go to the communities. Parts of the Bronx has some of the highest poverty stat and it the same politician for the last 10yrs that get voted and do nothing about it. They use stats to get elected not to fix anything.

Hey Bonilla , your beef is with your own people,cause you constantly put all Cubans down. Thanks for insulting me. It shows the person you are. Yes that is not only your problem, as it affects all of us. Not only uban politicians have ruined Miami Dade, politicians of all RACES have ruined this county. All are guilty of the mess we’re in. You need to stop blaming ony the Cuban politicians, and open up your eyes to the reality we’re facing.
As a Cuban American born and raied in New York, and Union City,New Jersey; I have seen the worst of all politicians, not mattering what nationality or skin color they possess. Mr. Bonilla to get your point across,its not neceesarry to insult me. You can state your point without disrespect.

Mayor Bower should have 30 days to announce the end of Hip Hop Weekend or be recalled. Sorry Matti…no longer will riding on a Pride float lead to the community looking the other way while you disrespect our safety and turn the Beach into a sewer.

Totally agree with you Ima,,No excuse for this to continue.Miami Beach would be a wonderful vacation destination for people who want to enjoy Memorial Day Weekend., not Hip Hop Weekend that only disrespects the memory of our troops…

to my limited baby-boomer memory—-the gays, and the jews before them-did not have these sorts of civil disturbances. AHHHH- ONE LITTLE CLUE THAT IT MAY BE DUE TO UNCIVILIZED ETHNIC GROUPS WHO CANNOT CONTROL THEIR DRINKING AND BELLIGERENCE?1NOWHERE DID I HEAR OF A PINK MACHINE GUN OR A HANDGRENADE UNDER A YALMIKA!

And Good for him if he did! What exactly would you have expected him to do? Fly into Miami at first word that there was going to be Urban Week in South Beach and stand on top of a building with a loud speaker, suggesting people to behave themselves? Obama will pick up blame for everything. If a man robs a bank, blame Obama, if a woman is raped, blame Obama, if weeds sprout up in your yard, blame Obama…Stop the nonsense and blame those who are ACTUALLY responsible!

HOWEVER-WITH URBAN MINORITIES OUT OF JOBS,HARD ECONOMIC TIMES, AND A MATCH-FUSE COMMUNITY THAT “FEELS” DIS’D BY POLICE ACTIONS(WHETHER JUSTIFIED OR NOT–))-WE OPEN THE DOOR TO A VERY UGLY CHAPTER IN MIAMI HISTORY WHEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE IN MAY OF 1980-RIOIS. MIAMI IS MORE HEAVILY ARMED, WITH MORE LETHAL WEAPONS-AND I DO NOT WANT TO SEE MIAMI IN TURMOIL THAT THOSE MEMORIES EVOKE.

Anyone defending the “diversity” of this event needs to get down here and view it firsthand. Unless your attire includes dropping your pants to your groin, grasping your private parts with one hand while you walk or stand, or dressing like a 60 pound overweight bikini model in your underwear (with an abundance of birthing bellies), then this is not demeanor that belongs in a civilized area. The ACLU and NAACP should be ashamed to protect the “rights” of these people when there are legitimate grievances to be adressed on behalf of people of color. This crowd does more to perpetuate negative stereotypes than any person of non color could hope to achieve (if so negatively inclined). I’m a resident of South Beach and have to live through this very scary event and its aftermath (destroyed property, litter, fights, and yes large spikes in crime). Enough is enough.. end this event or consider it yet one more reason for civilized residents to leave South Beach.

My wife and I live in NYC. We visit SoBe some 3 or 4 tiomes a year. We always reside at THE Hotel on 8th and Collins. Not anymore. We don’t get this type of crime in NYC. Yes, you heard that right.
We just got married at THE Hotel last month, dropping some $50k+ between our group for 3 days. I doubt SERIOUSLY that we will be returning.
What SoBe has become is not what it was even 3 to 5 years ago. You brag about your record year in tourist $$$, good luck to you in your future, I feel that the crime and quality of life will only most certainly get worse.

TIME OUT, SPORTS FANS-WHY ARE THE JEWS IN A-N-T OF THIS LIMITED STORY ABOUT A GROUP OF COPS SHOOTING UNRULY BLACKS AT SOBE. DID JEWS INVENT THE SOBE CULTURE? NOPE-OLD JEWS, LIKE MY GRANDPARENTS-DIED A LOOOOOONG TIME AGO! IS IT-THAT WE DEPRIVED THESE FOLKS OF CLASSIC DELI’S THAT VENTS YOUR PRESENT ANGER AND HATE-WHAT THE HELL IS THE RELEVANT CONNECTION TO ANY OF THIS DAMNED B.S? TO MUCH SUN AND KOOL-AID, AMIGOS-SLEEP IT OFF!

it was NOT the Hispanics that caused all of this mayhem in Miami this weekend. We all know who it was, but cannot say it, or prosecute them for it. They know this, and because they have been raised to feel entitled and embittered they will never stop this savagery. It’s just going to get worse as they laugh at those they brutalize and dare them to do something about it..

I hope you plan to retract any negative comment about Jews….If you look at all those scientific advances in history Jews account for a large portion of those advances and continue to this day. Our religion fosters a culture of freedom, hard work and education.

Well spoken sergeant;
I can attest to what you have said. I had occasion to meet a few and hear about many of these folks in my 30+ years working at The Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Retired in 2008. For those for whom the name doesn’t strike a bell remember Little Boy and Fat Man, ended WWII and saved the lives of hundreds of thousands on both sides, likely including my Dad who was staging to invade Honshu.
Since then the scientific discoveries have been manifold and profound. Another feather in the cap of both New Mexico and the US of A.
Rich in New Mexico.

I’ll tell you exactly where your reasoning is flawed. There is no such thing as race. it is a social construct.Biologically and zoologically there is no significant difference. If you flay the skin off of 2 men there is no way to tell what “race” they are. There is no test of any kind that can differentiate “races”.

You can tell the difference between the races by bone structure. Just ask any forensic examiner. There are also other differences, especially in behavior and IQ. Look at societies in Africa, Asian, and Europe. Don’t tell me they’re all the same

I saw a program on Discover where they showed how Asian skulls are shaped differently than European skulls. Some people (usually liberals) don’t want to accept the fact that there are differences between races other than their culture. We are not all the same — just as women are different than men.

Since when are all these racist pseudoacademic diatribe allowed yo be posted? When I see such garbage i hope our president was half as bad as you ti.foil hats said he is and locked every conservative, fundamentalist Christian and racist in the socalled camps.

A most revealing post here ACLU AND PROUD;
By your screen name you seem to suggest you are representative of the ACLU, yet in your very first sentence you wonder why free speech is allowed in this forum by asking for censorship and then in your last sentence you call for placing anyone who disagrees with you into a concentration camp.
You do a fantastic job of revealing the Liberal/Progressive hypocrisy and intolerant hatred in just a couple of barely intelligible, run on sentences.
I couldn’t have done a better job of showing you to be the dishonest and dangerous representative of a vile and hate filled philosophy if I had 10,000 words. Spoken like a true Democrat/Progressive and so typical of the ACLU type in your selective outrage.
Thank you for inadvertently shining a light on yourself.
Rich in New Mexico.

You moron. Lincoln never said that. The quote is from a fictional speech by Lincoln which occurs in The Clansman : An Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan (1905) by Thomas Dixon. Get your facts straight before you start spewing your hate, you ignoramus.

What the hell is going on? Why are our city mayors putting the citizens in danger with this so-called “urban weekend”. Urban weekend?! What does that mean — that all the gangs and low-lifes can get together to create violence and mayhem? I live in NYC and I’m sick of all the parades in Manhattan that used to be small and nice but not anymore. They clog traffic and for what? So a bunch of people can get drunk/high and violent — to throw their garbage all over the streets — to scream and blast loud music over loudspeakers all day — so gang members can parade around in packs looking for anyone to diss them?

Ok it is only one day in which you are talking about but the Hispanic community as a whole destroy Miami Beach with their litter, drunken behavior and total disrespect of anything not Cuban, Our society as a whole all races included are lacking in common sense, respect and decency towards our fellow man.

YOU CONVENIENTLY FORGOT to mention how the Cubans in Miami have built a world class international commerce and banking center…….
You also FAIL to mention how the Cubans are the second most successful ethnic group to come to the United States after the Jews…..These were the blacks of Miami who were raised on WELFARE who did this……

I urge everyone living there no matter who you are civilians, politicians, religious, workers, …to stop these politicians who allowed this to happen. Next year I think everyone step up and throw way anything that not relate to the Memoriial Day which is an important day for the nation to reflect and remember those who died for the country with their bravery, sacrify to bring freedom for real human beings so that we can breath real fresh air that non of these trouble makers thugs, thieves, sexual disoder ( gays and leabiens) have done.

Tom I agree 100% with you in where this country as a whole needs to get back to what Memorial Day is for, it is not Hip Hop they have Martin Luther King Day for that. They have Cinco Demayo for Hispanic, etc… Let’s bring back a Memorial event that would put any other to shame!!!!!!!!!!!! Let’s us Memorialize those who keep our freedoms, and protect us.

If military personnel had displayed such poor fire discipline as these cops the least they would have gotten would be pink slips. More likely there would be brig time involved.
Ya gotta expect these things when you get two bands of uncontrolled armed gangs running loose.

From the video, definitely hear an engine revving, to me it sounds like a motorcycle or even an after market exhaust system, then 4 shots are fired well before the intersection, then the black car hits another black car before coming to a stop. There is quite a pause between the initial 4 shots and the final burst of gunfire, this allows more officers on foot to surround the stopped black car, then the gunfire is a rapid fire burst. You can hear the crowd, the sirens, but nothing discernible from the police or occupant of the car either indicating a peaceful give up.

Those of you who have turned this into a racial thing are ridiculous! Apelike features? what exactly does this have to do with the situation at hand. I have lived in Miami my entire life and it is a melting pot of every race and ignorance comes in all shapes, sizes, colors, and forms. These events are full of young, drug, alcohol induced people who have no idea how to handle themselves when under the influence. Last I checked, there are several people who cannot handle themselves properly when under the influence. Granted, these type of events are famous for ignorance. These people were on the beach so of course most of them are under dressed! Guys grasping their private parts? Yes, I’ve seen men of every race grasping their private parts at the sight of half naked women, and especially when they are under the influence and lose their inhibitions. Fact is, I am from Miami and you would NEVER catch me attending such an event because I am an adult and have no desire to be in such an environment. We have all been young and dumb at some point in our lives. It’s so funny to me how people say Black people need to get over slavery and racism because it no longer exists. Here is living proof that it does. I have spent my life trying to accept every race and love everyone but these comments push me back several steps. Makes me want to move to a secluded island where I can no longer experience the hurtful things that people say. Memorial Day weekend here in Miami is HUGE! People from all over come here for this holiday. Howvwer, I don’t have any local friends that would ever go to South Beach to celebrate this holiday. I went to a different beach everyday this weekend where other black, white, cuban, and white people were and it was beautiful and peaceful and enjoyable! Anywhere you go where alcohol and drugs are available in abundance will turn into a HUGE mess! Rest assured, if no drugs or alcohol was available, this event would roll off smoothly. I blame drugs and alcohol and not the color of anyones skin!

When all American blacks have been repatriated back to their African homeland, then American will once again become the land of milk and honey and freedom from fear that it was prior to the sixties. It’s either this or a bloody race war where the blacks are eliminated once and for all. Whichever path we take, it will be soon, because this black violence is building to a national crescendo, and it will soon explode.

I read one post where the writer said that she thought this type of thing would get better when Obama was elected president. She must have been kidding. Things like this and other race related incidents have done nothing but get worse. The blacks now think this is their very own country and they are entitled to whatever they want. During the election ther was black woman saying she was going to vote for Obama because he was going to pay her mortgage and fill up her car. Obama was going to use his “stash” to accomplish this. I also viewed a video of a black woman being issued a citation for jay-walking. She was being very disruptive and actually started getting physical with the officer. She kept slapping at his face and backing away avoiding arrest. One time she hit him in the face and he ended up punching her square in the face with full force. She complied then. She got exactly what she deserved and learned the hard way that she was not entitled to anything except being treated like everyone else. Anyway, it has gotten worse since Obama has so effectively divided this nation. When he failed to prosecute the New Black Panther Party for voter intimidation he sent the message he wanted to get across; Do what you want because we will not prosecute our brothers.

The police shooting was the only negative incident that I heard about. In fact considering the large number of people on the beach during “Urban Weekend” over the years it is relatively free of any bad incidents. These folks are tourists just like anyone other people coming to South Beach to enjoy themselves. They spend their money at the hotels, restaurants, vehicle rental, clubs, stores, etc. just like everyone else. The hysteria and negative attitude about large groups of black people in the same place at the same time is uncalled for and really shameful. Anytime large numbers of people get together to have a good time there is a possibility that some people might get out of hand, irrespective of race. Prejudice is ignorance at its worst. The people writing these racists comments have yet to fully evolve

When you have 300 thousand animals with their pants down around their groin and holding their groins so their pants don’t fall down drinking, dong drugs until 5am and longer you are going to get animalistic results.Political correctness is for people who cant handel the truth or are afraid to speak it.I wouldnt go near Miami when anything that has to do with Hip Hop or Rap music andits violet follwers are involved.Say what you want the proofs in te pudding.NEWS !–Miami is a third world country of its own ran by third world politicians.

MONEY is more important to Miami politicians than peoples lives.Then you have the ACLU and NAACP who would file law suits because race is more important than peoples lives and saftey nothing will change next year.The cops in Miami are just garbadge collectors taking out the garbadge.

ACLU and PROUD just shows how dangerous and stupid the new lib”hurls” are to our country– keep up the good work lib”hurl”.;ibhurlism is the minority in this country and will be like the dinosaurs soon.

To Jim Patrick and other loudmouthed CONservatives..i beg to differ. You think your philosophy is here to last? Gee didn’t a Black Democrat win in “solidly conservative” Jacksonville for mayor? What about for the House of Representatives in NY? You know, the special election replace the repub who tried to take the P90x picture to his mistress? That’s right: a Democrat! People got fed up with the harshness and meanspiritedness of you cons…

To ACLU AND PROUD;
Your newsflash is that a Democrat won office in New York? Wow, what a revelation, was she the first to ever do that? Did it occur with the complicity of the media, and finally was the vote count rigged?
I don’t care what district it was in, it was in New York. I know a little about NY as I was born and raised there. Lived there from 1952 until 1978 when I had the good sense to move the heII out and go to New Mexico. All I can say is AAHHHH! This state is absolutely wonderful. Beautiful folks, Beautiful land and mountains, Alpine meadows, deserts lakes you name it. Great hunting, fishing, camping and frankly, whatever you wish to do…go ahead. Pure freedom.
As an example, one may carry a weapon, pistol/rifle etc anywhere alcohol is not served. We seem to have the unique concept here of the state and local governments trusting us, the people, and actually working with and for us. Can you imagine that! I bet not, and I would bet it would scare the living bejesus out of you.
We will have no less.
PS: You and your type, please stay OUT. Others who worship freedom and will support it are welcome.
Rich in New Mexico.

You cannot behave differently or act differently if all you have been taught since birth is that the white people hate you, your music is all about hate, and calling women beatches, and the f*** word is the way to address everything. Black people should teach their children from birth that they are the same as everyone instead I have witnessed how hatred is perpetrated day in by kids parents who rat on and on about the white and hispanics keeping them down. You can only be kept down if you allow yourself to be put down. Have a two parent household and for gods sake those children you do have are innocent christian souls. do right by them, take the shoe of their back and watch them grow.